Thursday, February 25, 2016

God is Watching Us ... to Guard Us

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths.
Proverbs 5:21 

God as our Father not only watches to grace us with His presence and to guide us in His ways ... but also to guard us as we go.
The Psalmist assures us that God is constantly surveying all of our ways.  His watching us is not just a glancing notice but a pondering which speaks of “rolling flat."  God is ready to roll flat any obstacle that stands between Him and His children.  He is prepared to move us out of harms way. 
I am not suggesting that as Christians nothing bad will happen to our loved ones or us.  I cannot explain why some face horrible plights in life and some die violent deaths while others are spared.  I cannot explain why some die of cancer and other diseases while some are physically healed.  But in striving to answer our own questions we must not become like Elisha's servant whose eyes were closed to what God was doing around them to protect them.  We must trust that God knows what He is doing.
The Psalmist sensed the assurance of God's guard over him.
Psalms 121:1-4  I will lift up my eyes to the hills; from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
God never sleeps!  How often do we as parents sleep never knowing what our children are doing?  God never quits watching our every step.  Like the parents who walk before and behind the toddlers to catch them as they stumble, so is God in our lives to guard over us.  The Psalmist associates God's watchful guard with "He who keeps you." Keep means to protect; to attend to; to retain in one's control. 
Jesus prayed, "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. (John 17:15)  His eyes are upon us to keep and protect us from the evil one who comes to steal, kill and destroy us.  Find the stronghold of God's watchful protection in your day of attack and rest in it.  God is watching us to guard us!
Lots of times my son has trouble going to sleep at night.  I am sympathetic to this because I can remember having some sleepless nights as a child myself.  I always pray for him and assure him that he is safe in the arms of almighty God.  I like to remind him of the verse Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9  We actually know this verse as a song we learned at church a few years ago so we usually sing it.  I love the promise this verse holds.  He will protect us and He is with us everywhere!
The stronghold of God's watchfulness is not to be taken for granted.  We must not arrogantly presume that we can cast ourselves off the pinnacle of the temple and expect God to spare our lives.  Jesus says, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God."
The stronghold of God is a place of rest where the burden of what is casting us down is lifted from us.  The stronghold of God's watchfulness should bring comfort, assurance and honesty into our relationship with Him.  Good News!  God is watching us!
Scripture to Claim:

The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. Psalms 121:8 

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